Thread-advancing reel



APYil 29, 1947 R. w. STANLEY 2,419,605

THREAD ADVANGING REEL IN VEN TOR.

APril 29 1947- R. w. STANLEY 2,419,605

THREAD ADvANcING REEL Filed llay 19, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'I Patented Apr. 29, 1947 THREAD-ADVANCING REEL Richard W. Stanley, Drexel Hill, Pa., assigner to American Viscose Corporation,

Wilmington,

Del., a corporation of Delaware Application May 19, 1945, Serial No. 594,730

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved thread-advancing reel and is chiey concerned with improvements for increasing the mechanical efilciency of the reels so' that they may handle heavier -and stronger yarns, whether they be of f artiilcial or natural fllamentary material. or even large yarns or tows obtained from artiiicial iliament spinning machines. The invention is also concerned with an improved form of internal sealing structure to protect the bearings and moving parts of .the reel from corrosive action of any liquids that may be4 played upon the threads carried by the reels.

In thread-advancing reels containing two sets of bars, either o! the type where both sets are concentric or of the type in which one set of bars is eccentric to the other and in which the threadadvancing action is accomplished by reciprocation of some or all of the bars either individually or as groups, it is desirableto reduce to a minimum the frictional forces required to be overcome in effecting such reciprocation of the bars.V

In accordance with the present invention. roiler.

to their initial position during the return stroke of the bar because of the fact that during the return stroke of the bar, the thread load is removed therefrom and in addition centrifugal force acts upon `the bar, especially at high rotative speeds, and tends to lift or reduce the pressure ofthe bar upon the rollers. The result is that the bar itself sometimes does not exert suillcient pressure upon the rollers during its return stroke to return the rollers to starting position, and upon' the next thread-advancing stroke when the bar is carrying the thread and is under load, the rollers may be at-the end of their movement, so that the bar must slide with respect thereto instead of having'rolling contact.

Other influences which may tend to cause lagging or improper placement of the rollers at the beginning of the thread-advancing stroke even when' full pressure of the bar and its load bears on the l roller, include the use of heavy grease as lubrication and the possibility that such grease may be hardened or dust or abraded particles may accumulate and Acause sticking or jamming of the rollers. These influences may also tend to cause (Cl. its-71.6) 2 v relative sliding action of the bars with respect Vto the rollers even during the thread-advancing stroke. Therefore, the present invention preferably provides the auxiliary means projecting into the path of the rollers for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring their return at least a minimum predetermined distance after each load-carrying movement andin case of necessity for assuring their movement during the threadadvancing stroke. An ancillary object of the.

present invention is to provide an improved sealing arrangement arranged to protect the roller bearings as well as the other bearing structures and driving mechanism within the heart of' the reel as a whole. These objects. as well as others and additional advantages will be apparent from. the drawing and the description thereof hereinaftenin which- Figure 1 is a side elevation with the upper halfv l zo in cross section, of one embodiment of the reel; Figure 2 is across section taken on line lI-II of Figure 1;

l Figures is-a cross section taken on line III- IlI of Figure 2;

l Figure 4 is a perspective of a detail;

Figure 5 is a perspective of another detail;

Figure 6 is a section of a modication taken on a line corresponding to that on which Figure 2 was taken in the reel of Figures 1 to 5;

Figure l'I is a section on line VII-VII of Figure 6; and

Figure 8'is s, perspective of a detail.

As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the reel is of that type which comprises one set of bars xed for rotation about an axis and a second set of actuatable bars interdigitating between the fixed fbars and mounted for rotation upon an axis eccentric with respect to the axis of the fixed sei of bars. It should be understood, however, that it is merely illustrative and that the bearing construction can be applied as well to bars of the type of reel in which there are two actuatable concentric sets of bars.

In the specific construction shown, a supporting frame 2 and the bracket 3 extending therefrom serve to support the reel rotatably upon a shaft 4 which-may be hollow as shown. TheY so left upon the ilange. Flange 1A may be provided with coupling projections I2 adapted to t within mating recesses in the coupling I3 mounted rotatably within the frame 2 and adapted to be driven by the spline shaft I4 secured to the shaft I5.

The actuatable bars I6 are each attached individually to rods I'I by screws I8 and braces I9. An annular reinforcing ring I9 is secured internally of the cage of bars by screws I8', and extends through the space between bars I6, rods I1 and the interconnecting braces I9 without impeding the movement of these parts during thread-advancing action. Each end of the rods I1 co-operates with roller bearings 20 arranged to roll back and forth in the direction of the axis of the reel across the width of the annular rings 2| which are supported by composite webs centric bushings 24 fixedly secured to the stationary shaft 4. Skew plates 25 are rotatably mounted by bearings 26 upon bushings 21 whose bearing surfaces are both eccentric and-askew with respect to the axis of shaft 4.' It will be noted that the annular rims of the plates 25 are in engagement with projections from the rods I1 so that duringrotation of the reel the askewness of the plates 25 causes reciprocating movement of the rods I1 with bars I6 longitudinally,

As shown to better effect in Figures 2 and 3, the end of each rod I1 is provided with a Xed collar 28 from which a portion of the rod extending from the collar has a flattened cross section as shown at I1' in Figure 2. Upon the flattened end of the rod a bearing block 29 is positioned between two spacing sleeves 3|) and two washers 3| provided with projecting lugs 32, the entire assemblage being held securely in place by the nut 33 engaging a threaded end portion of the rod. The sleeves 30 iit freely for relative movement within apertures formed in the side walls 220, and 22h of the bearing housing formed by stamping an annular recess in each of the two plates forming the web 22. Additional apertures 34 are provided in the walls 22a and 22h so that the lugs 32 may enter more or less in alignment with the path of the rollers 2U. The general shape of the washers 3| and the general shape of the washers 3| and the shape of the bearing block 29 are shown in Figures 4 and 5.

For sealing the internal bearing and driving parts a rigid cylindrical sleeve of an impermeable corrosion resistant material is clamped between the end webs 22 and flexible sealing membranes 35 of generally annular shape have their inner periphery clamped in place between the edges lof the sleeve 35 and webs l22 and their outer periph- -ries clamped in place between the bars Sand the flanges 6 and 1, spacing members 31 being provided to assure a tight gripping action. The

either to lag or to become stuck in any position adjacent the end of its path of movement.

Figure 3 shows the bearing at a point intermediate the stroke of the bar or rod I1. Since the center of the roller moves only half the distance moved by therod in a stroke, it is only necessary that a given projection 32 on the washer 3| project into the bearing housing, at the end of the stroke, a distance equal to one-half the stroke of the rod. Thus, at the end of the stroke to the right, the lugs 32' at the left in Figure 3 should extend into the housing and beyond the wall 22a a distance at least one-half the length of the stroke and conversely upon completion of the stroke to the left, the lug 32 at the right should extend a distance Within the wall 22h at least one-half the length of the stroke.,

Figures 6 to 8 illustrate a modification in which 'the bearing means for each end of each rod supment, additional projections 32a. are provided upon the washers 3 Ia. Openings are provided in the walls of the housing to allow the4 projections 32a to extend into the path of the roller 40 and flexible annuli 36 may be of rubber, synthetic rubber or any rubber substitute of impermeable corrosion-resistant character and are provided with apertures through which the rods I1 may extend. The edge of such apertures may be held tightly in place between the collars 28 and the adjacent washers 3|, the outer edge of the collars 28 being bulged to assure a, tight sealing action.

During operation of the embodiment of Figures l to 5, the cage-like assembly of bars rotates as a unit about the stationary shaft 4, the skew plates 25 causing reciprocation of the rods I1. The lugs 32 which are moved simultaneously with the rods I1 are caused to project into the path of the rollers 20 and serve to prevent such rollers to serve with respect to roller MI in an analogous manner to the projections 32 with respect to roller 20. It will be seen that this construction provides for a roller bearing upon the returnstroke even when the bar is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force so that it would not be carried by rollers 20 during such return stroke. Whereas in the embodiment of Figures l to 5,'the movement of the rod I1 during the return stroke may involve a certain amount of friction of the bearing block 29 against the ceiling within its housing on webs 22 (or perhaps of the sleeves 30 within the apertures in walls 22a and' 22h depending upon the precise construction), in the embodiment of Figures 6 and 8, the bars ride back on rollers 40-with a minimum of friction.

The ibars I6 in either embodiment may be actuatable individually or a plurality of adjacent be greatly reduced.

The invention thus provides a, more eicient construction capable of handling heavy yarns and tows and is also especially applicable to long reels having heavy bars needed to support long helices while being subjected to a plurality of liquid treatments in succession. In long reel constructions, it may be desirable to provide a plurality of roll and end roller bearing supports spaced longitudinally of each actuatable bar to provide the additional strength necessary.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims. y

I claim: 1. A thread-advancing reel-comprising a rotatably mounted supporting means, bearing means carried on the supporting means and comprising rollers rotatablelon axes directed transversely to' the axis of rotation of the supporting means and a plurality of bars reeiprocably carried by the rollers.

2. A thread-advancing reel comprising a rotatably mounted supporting means, bearing means carried on the supporting means and comprising rollers rotatable on axes directed transversely to the axis of rotation of the supporting means, a .plurality of bars reciprocably carried by the rollers, and means projecting into the path of the rollers for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring their return at least a minimum predetermined distance after each reciprocation.

3. A thread-advancing reel comprising a plurality of bar's, roller bearing means for supporting the bars, means for reciprocating the bars, and means associated with the rollers for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring their return at least a minimum predetermined dis tance after each reciprocation.

4. A thread-advancing reel comprising a plurality of bars, roller bearing means for supporting the bars, means for reciprocating the bars, and means projecting into the path of the rollers for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring their return at least a minimum predetermined distance after each reciprocation.`

5. In a thread-advancing reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising a rotatable support, roller means -movably carried by the support, means for constraining the rolling movement of the roller means to a direction transverse of the plane of rotation of the support', and a longitudinally reciprocable bar carried by the roller means so that the bar rides in rolling contact with the roller means.

6. In a thread-advancing reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising a rotatable support, roller means movably carried by the support, means for constraining the rolling movement of the roller means to a direction transverse of the plane of rotation of the support, a

longitudinally reciprocable bar carried by the roller means so that the bar rides in rolling contact with the roller means, and means projecting into the path of the rollers for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring their return at least a minimum predetermined distance after each reciprocation.

7. In a thread-advancingv reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising a rotatable support, longitudinally reciprocable thread-carrying bar, at least one roller carried on the support and arranged for rolling movementgenerally axially of the reel, and bearing means for the bar comprising a bearing surface adjacent one end thereof making rolling contact with the roller.

8. In a thread-advancing reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising a rotatable support, a longitudinally reciprocable thread-carrying bar, at least one roller carried on the support and arranged for rolling movement generally axially of the reel, bearing means for the bar comprising a bearing surface adjacent one end thereof making rolling contact with the roller, and means projecting into the path of the rollers for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring their return at least a. minimum predetermined distance after each reciprocation.

6 9. Ina thread-advancing reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising two supports rotatable about a common axis l.and spaced apart s axially, at least one roller carried on each support and arranged for rolling movement generally axially of the reel, a longitudinally reciprocable thread-carrying bar, and bearing means for the bar comprising a bearing surface adjacent each end thereof making rolling contact with the corresponding roller.

10. In a thread-advancing reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising two supports rotatable about a common axis and spaced apart axially, at least one roller carried on each support and arranged for rolling movement generally axially of the, reel, a longitudinally reciprocable thread-carrying bar, bearing means for the b ar comprising a bearing surface adjacent each'nd thereof making rolling contact with the corresponding roller and a pair of members flxedly connected to the bar on opposite sides of the bearing surface adjacent each end thereof and arranged to project into the path of the corresponding roller for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring its return at least a minimum predetermined distance after each reciprocation.

11. In. a thread-advancing reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising two supports rotatable about a common axis and spaced apart axially, each of the supports comprising a radially outwardly facing bearing surface and a radially inwardly facing bearing surface, a longitudinally reciprocable thread-carrying bar, bearing means adjacent each end of the bar comprising a radially inwardly facing and a radially outwardly facing bearing surface each facing opposite one of the bearing surfaces on the corresponding support, and a roller arranged between each pair of opposed bearing surfaces for rolling movement generally axially of the reel.

12. In a, thread-advancing reel, a reel bar supporting structure comprising. two supports rotatable about a common axis and spaced apart axially, each of the supports comprising a radially -outwardly facing bearing surface and a radially inwardly facing bearing surface, a longitudinally reciprocable thread-carrying bar, bearing means adjacent each end of the bar comprising a radially inwardly facing and a radially outwardly facing bearing surface each facing opposite one of the bearing surfaces on the corresponding support,r and a roller arranged between each pair of opposed bearing surfaces for rolling movement generally axially of the reel and members iixedly connected to the bar on opposite sides of the bearing surfaces adjacent each end thereof and arranged to project into the' paths of the corresponding rollers for preventing lagging thereof and for assuring their return at least a minimum predetermined distance after each reciprocation.

13. A thread-advancing reel comprising supporting means rotatable about an axis and having two axially spaced generally annular housings, an annular bearing in each housing, a plurality of reciprocable thread-carrying bars,- bearing means for-the bars projecting through the housings and being relatively movable axially with respect thereto, rollers arranged between and in rolling contact with the annular bearing and the bar bearing means for rolling movement generally axially of the reel, and means for reciprocating the bars.

RICHARD W. STANLEY. 

